Child of Hearth
by Mythomagic101
Summary: Penelope is a special person. Born in the year 1915, how does she connect to the time of Percy Jackson and his friends? She will have to pass a test to find out who she truly is, but is the answer really worth it? "You can't escape fate but you can face it head on." This is the beginning of her story. R&R. I don't care if it's a dot just review.
1. Prologue

**I hope you enjoy this. I worked really hard on this prologue. It kind of sucks. I promise that the next chapter is better so don't lose hope yet.**

**Disclaimer: RR owns PJO. _Thank you_ for DUMPING Percabeth in _TARTARUS!_**

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Prologue

It was a foggy autumn night. The year was 1915. A middle aged women in a brown hooded cloak was tending a blazing fire that was surrounded by twelve 20 feet tall thrones. The thrones belong to the Olympians. They were out doing their own business, flirting with mortals, causing natural disasters, etc.

However, Hestia stayed behind to tend the flames that symbolizes the existence of the gods. She was in a bad mood.

A year ago, Ares and Zeus got into a fight that led to the beginning of the Great War. Years from now this war would be called World War I. Four years of battle and hardship would come out of that one prank where Ares convinced a son of Zeus to assassinated the heir to Austria. The gods have survived on earth for millennias yet they still can't change their ways.

Hestia sighed. So now her family was torn by anger and rage, and she doesn't know how to make them stop bickering with each other. Nothing good has happened in the last few months and she is beginning to wonder if things would ever be at peace again.

" It is not like you to give up hope, my dear," came a voice.

Hestia looked up. Sitting across the fire were three very old ladies. They had alabaster hair and wrinkles covered their faces. They seemed to be knitting a gigantic sock. She knew that they were the Three Fates.

" Why wouldn't I be. For a year now I've been trying to calm things down but they refuse to listen," she replied to the third fate. The one who had spoken.

"Maybe we can change that," the fate in the middle said. Then the hag motioned for the first fate to speak.

" A new soul will come to this world. It is your duty, Hestia, to make sure that she plays her role in life."

" What do you mean?"

" Ah, yes well said Clotho," the fate in the middle said ignoring Hestia's question. " A child of hearth. Can't you just imagine what her destiny would be like Hestia? You should be very proud."

" What!" Hestia exclaimed. Her face showed extreme horror. " A child of hearth? I can't possibly have an offspring. I'm a maiden goddess. This is unheard of!"

"Oh no!" the fates said simultaneously. Then they all started talking from the left to the right.

" Think of it like what Athena does."

" She's like your adopted child."

" We'll make sure that you keep your title as a maiden goddess."

Clotho then waved her hand and a basket slid from the fire.

Hestia peeked inside. She gasped at what she saw. A newborn baby was wrapped in a pink cloth. She has dark hazel eyes and small tuffs of hair were sticking out from her head. She opened her mouth and laughed that cute baby laugh. It was adorable.

" So who's the father?" Hestia asked.

" The father is-" the third fate said but was cut off by the fate in the middle.

"-very special. The father is very special."

Hestia gave a funny look but the fates just smiled.

" Well I can't just leave her here on Olympus. She's a demigod. She needs to be raised in the mortal world."

" Oh I can change that," the fate on the left, Clotho, said.

She began to knit vigorously for a lady her age. Before she knew it, the baby was glowing a golden hew. _An immortal_ Hestia thought.

" Child of Hearth. Born from Fire," the Three Fates eerily chanted in unison.

Then their bodies faded into the mist leaving the goddess with a baby in a basket. How was she going to explain this to the Olympian Council? She doesn't know how but she knew that she would find a way.

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**I'll write the first chapter soon. I'm a slow updater so don't expect to see the next chapter_ too_ soon.**

**REVIEW TIME**

**What do you think the baby's name will be?**


	2. I'm Thrown into a Campfire I

**I know that the last chapter was kind of bad but I think this will make up for it. **

**Remember, this story takes place in 1929. The fashion sense is different, camp had no magical boundaries, no Dionysus(sadly), and there was no Pact of the Big Three.**

**Disclaimer: I own everything in this story that Uncle Rick didn't already write down. **

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**Nearly 14 Years Later**

**Penelope**

.

.

.

" Nellie wake up!"

" No!"

" Penelope if you don't get up from that bed of yours this instant I'll-"

" You'll do what!"

The next thing I knew, I was being dragged out the Hermes's cabin and was pushed into a burning fire by my best friend. _Well isn't this a perfect morning_ I thought.

Now before I continue, I should probably explain that I am immune to fire and that I can control it as well. I have to thank my mother for that. So being dumped into a campfire early in the morning is like waking up to the feeling of cold water being poured onto your face. You're surprised but you're not severely hurt. Personally, I don't see what's the difference between the two.

I scrambled out from the fire and as I did, I heard a collective gasp from the new campers. Hey, it's not every day that you see someone come out from a fire without being burned. Everyone else knew that I could manipulate fire, but only the ones closes to me know that I am a child of Hestia.

"What was that for?" I grumbled trying not to get distracted by the crowd that had gathered around us.

" Well you wouldn't get out of bed so I had to take drastic measures," Phoebe replied.

Phoebe was one of my best friends. She was a daughter of Apollo but she is sometimes mistaken for a child of Ares. She has muscles that are only bigger than her sibling by a little bit, but she can still wrestle you to the ground in no time. She has brunette hair and bright blue eyes. Phoebe was one of the very few girls at camp (besides the girls in the Ares cabin) that dared to wear pants.

" Come on! Let's go wake up Alice," she said to me as we ran to Cabin 3.

I had to admit, I was a bit hesitant when we reached the cabin's door. The last time we got on Alice's bad side, she dumped us into the ocean and made sure that the tides kept us from the shore. Let's just say that you can't keep someone who was _born_ from fire in _water_ for_ half an hour_! I had a cold for three weeks after that incident. I had forgiven Alice only so that she would stop saying sorry to me over and over again.

Phoebe knocked on the door. Silence. Then she started pounding the door very loudly that a hellhound could've heard it a mile away. I didn't want to face a monster this early in the morning.

" Alice wake up!" Phoebe shouted as she pounded at the door.

After a couple of minutes of shouting and banging from both sides of the cabin (mostly from Phoebe), the door finally opened and I stepped aside just in time to see Phoebe getting doused in water.

" I heard you the first couple of times now would you please be quiet!"

Alice was a daughter of Poseidon if you haven't already figured it out. She had long, glossy black hair and sea green eyes. She was wearing a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt with a green skirt that went right below her knees.

Alice and Phoebe were having a staring contest, sorry I mean glaring contest. I could actually feel the anger rolling off those two. I couldn't blame them for being mad. I would feel the same if I was wet or was just wakened up early in the morning, but I knew that if I didn't break the tension, something bad would happen.

" We should head to the dining pavilion now," I interrupted their little showdown. " Chiron would probably be wondering where we are."

They both nodded their head and we headed toward the dining pavilion. Alice dried Phoebe off along the way forgetting about what had happened back at her cabin. It amazes me how my two best friends can get into a fight so easily yet they still remain friends.

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**Is it good? Bad? WHAT IS IT!? **

**Sorry if the chapters are short. My life is busy and I have a limited amount of computer time.**

**REVIEW TIME!**

**Since they can both control fire, do you think that Leo and Penelope would make a good couple? (I am not adding Leo in my story yet)**


	3. Trip Down Memory Lane II

**Penelope's nickname is Nellie**

**The first few chapters are just fillers that will make the story less confusing**

**The exciting parts will probably be around chapter 5**

**ENJOY!**

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**Penelope**

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.

.

Breakfast was uneventful. We had the usual fruits, cheese, bread, barbeque, and veggies. The only exciting thing that happened was that a child of Hermes stole my jewelry, but that happens almost every day.

Today the cabin counselor, Louis, took my necklace from right under my nose. After I had sacrificed an apple to the gods, I noticed that my neck felt bare. When I reached up to my throat, I realized that the necklace was gone.

I was furious.

" Alright, who took it!" I said as calmly as possible. I failed miserably.

" Is this it?" Louis said as he came up to me with his signature miscevious grin.

Usually I don't fuss over jewelry like an Aphrodite girl, but absolutely no one touches the necklace. I kicked Louis in the shin when he dangled it right in front of my face. He ate his food quietly after that.

Everyone stared at me except for my best friends. They knew what my fatal flaw was: personal loyalty. So it didn't surprise them when I went out of character and became violent.

The necklace meant a lot to me. It was a simple purple opal, teardrop pendant surrounded by tiny encrusted diamonds dangling from a thin sliver chain. It was my farewell gift from Olympus. I remember it well.

_*FLASHBACK*_

_It was my seventh birthday. The Olympians and my mother were surrounding me as I blew out the candles on my cake. Immediately, I felt weak and vulnerable. I clutched onto the table, my head was very dizzy._

_"Help," I whispered_

_The last thing I saw before I passed out was my mother's worried countenance, a very distressed Hermes, and a very . . . happy Apollo?_

_(Time Lapse)_

_When I woke up, I was laying on my bed in my houses on Olympus. The entire Olympian Council was at my bedside. Most of them were quite shocked. Only Ares and Dionysus looked unaffected and Apollo looked so. . . giddy._

_"What happened?" My voice was barely audible. Fortunately, Athena heard me._

_"It's obvious isn't it. You passed out."_

_"How?"_

**(The next paragraph is nonsense so I suggest you skip it)**

_" Well in the conditions that you were in, you could've had a migraine, lack of air, phyleokineses_** (Made this word up)**_, or considering the fact that it's your seventh birthday, the ichor in you might've been flowing at two times the original pace because they needed to add more power and energy to the brain and dividing your height, width, and adding your diet and health issues, minus that incident in Central Park, I think that-"_

_" Athena!" Artemis interuppted. " Can't you see that Nellie didn't understand a word you said."_

_Athena looked offended and, of course, Uncle Poseidon was snickering at the expression on her face._

_"Besides," Apollo chimed. " Nellie fainting has nothing to do with ichor."_

_"How do you know that?" Artemis and I asked. My voice was becoming clearer._

_Usually, when I think of Apollo, I think of him as one of those naughty boys in school or a gangster. If I asked him a question he'll answer it with a poem and a big shiny smile. So you can see my surprise when he suddenly says that he knows something._

_"Don't worry Nellie. This will only pinch a little," was his answer._

_I was momentarily confused until a small needle appeared from his hands. Like every seven year old who has went to the doctor, I panicked. Looking back on it, it was pretty silly. Ares had threatened to send a boar to chase after me after I laughed in front of him and I had accidently fell from Olympus, twice. Both times Zeus had to send a scary eagle to catch me. Being scared of a needle is nothing compare to the situations I've been through at a young age._

_I tried to relax my muscles as Apollo gently poked the needle through my finger tip. I stared at my finger in shock. Instead of the golden white ichor that immortals have, blood dripped from my finger. Red mortal blood._

_"This is impossible," Hestia said breaking the silence. " The fates assured me that she was an immortal. Apollo what is the meaning of this!"_

_"That is for you to find out dear auntie," Apollo chuckled. " All I can say is that Nellie here is very special."_

_I could sense that the council wasn't pleased with Apollo answer even though they kept an expressionless countenance. It's very frustrating when the god of prophecies is answering your questions. I remembered how I once scratched myself against one of Ares sword before. Ichor was oozing from my skin as I cried out in pain. Now I'm a mortal. It was seriously confusing. Did I still have my powers? To answer my question, I willed my hand to catch fire. It worked. The flames felt warm and comforting against my skin._

_"A demigod," Zeus said. "Hermes, I want you to send her to Camp Half-Blood after she has packed all her stuff."_

_Hermes nodded. The council made no objections, not even Athena. Then they filed out of the room as I frantically packed for a permanent trip away from Olympus._

_( Time Lapse )_

_I stood on top of a hill overlooking what must be the famous Camp Half-Blood. I heard Zeus and Dionysus talking about it once. He said that it is where all the demigods go. I had always wondered what it was like. Now I was going to experience it first hand._

_"Nellie," Hermes said behind me._

_I turned around to see Hermes holding a purple pendant. He smiled._

_"I'm giving this to you on behalf of Olympus," he said as he handed me the necklace. "Don't forget your family," he said. Instead of that happy miscevious look in his eyes, I saw sadness and grieving. " And I want you to know that Zeus doesn't want you telling everyone who your godly parent is. He thinks that it will cause havoc if you tell anyone that your mother is Hestia." Then with a flash of light, he was gone. I've never seen a better way to ruin a moment then that._

_I clasped the necklace around my neck and lugged my travel bag to the big white house. I was ready to meet new friends, experience new things, and go on a wild adventure. What I was not ready for was to have a half-man, half-horse creature as my new teacher._

_*END*_

I smiled as I sat down at the Hermes table. My reaction to when I found out that the activities director was a centaur was priceless. I dropped my travel bag on my foot and screamed bloody murder. I've heard of wild centaurs that were very drunk and dangerous. Chiron changed my mind though. I laughed quietly and got weird looks from the people around me. I ignored them.

Breakfast ended soon afterward and I went off to my camp activities. Chiron knows who my mother is so he assigned me mostly non-violent things.

**Camp Activities Schedule**

**8:00 - 9:00 Breakfast and Cabin Inspections**

**9:00 - 10:00 Foot Racing**

**10:00 - 11:00 Archery**

**11:00 - 12:00 Picking Strawberries**

**12:00 - 12:45 Lunch**

**12:45 - 1:45 Survival Techniques **

**1:45 - 4:00 Free Choice**

**- **Arts and Crafts

- Canoeing

- Climbing Wall

**4:00 - 5:00 Swim and Beach Time**

**5:00 - 6:00 Free Time**

**6:00 - 7:00 Supper and Cabin Clean-Up**

**7:00 - 8:00 Bonfire and Sing-A-Long**

**8:00 Prepare for Bed**

**9:30 Lights Out**

Margaret, a child of Demeter, and I were Cabin Inspectors that day. Everyone did a pretty good job making their cabin as neat as possible (with the exception of Cabin 1. It amazes me how three kids can cause such huge mess. Then again, their father is Zeus.) After inspecting the cabins, I went to my camp activities. The wood nymphs left me in the dust during foot racing and I did a pretty good job in archery. I might have cheated when I controlled the flaming arrow to land on the bulls-eye, but who cares. After picking strawberries to sell to the mortals, it was lunch time.

I sat down at the Hermes table and quietly chewed on a piece of bread. I was bored so I opened my mind and began to read people's thoughts. I had the ability to read people's emotions and thoughts since the day I left Olympus. I learned to control this power over the years but I was still a novice at it.

One time I 'overheard' Alice sighing and saying that she liked James. (Don't tell her that I know that!) That is rather horrifying considering the facts that she's the daughter of Poseidon and he's the son of Zeus. To make matters worse, James likes her back. I once caught him staring at her and 'accidently' read his thoughts. Poseidon and Zeus would spontaneously combust if they find out that their kids think of each other...differently. At least James wasn't a child of Athena. **  
**

So where was I? Oh yes, I let my mind wander through the crowd of thoughts until I set my eyes on the Athena table. I saw one of the girls, I think her name was Cammie, reading a book and wondering, '_So that's how the Great War started! Ares was never one of my favorite gods. Hold on, this book didn't tell me how the war ended. What kind of book is this! Mother should petrify whoever wrote this book. How am I suppose to be a child of Athena if I don't even know how the Great War ended. THIS IS AN INSULT TO MY INTELLIGENCE!'_

Word of advice: You do not want to listen to someone mentally screaming. It's like having an opera singer singing right besides you ear. Not fun.

Even though my mind throbbed uncontrollably, I was laughing inside.

_*FLASHBACK*_

_Lightning cackled around Mt. Olympus. I wasn't scared though. Uncle Zeus has been throwing tantrums a lot lately so I was pretty use to it. Even with my very mild case of ADHD, I was still bored. It's quite shocking actually, being bored on Mt. Olympus. I could go and bug Auntie Demeter or act like a dunce in front of Athena, but I didn't felt like it._

_I heard screaming coming from the Hall of the Gods. I remembered a plan Athena had thought of so I followed the screaming. When I arrived, I saw Uncle Zeus holding a big shiny zigzag thingy in his hand and he was about to strike it at Ares. My mother, Auntie Demeter, Athena, and Aunt Hera were shouting and begging for them to stop. I began to cry._

_Fourteen pairs of eyes stared at my direction. I felt a pair of warm arms wrap around me. My mother's calm voice was telling to be quiet and that everything was going to be all right. I hoped she was correct.__  
_

_"Now look at what you did!" Hera scolded. "You should be ashamed of yourselves. You made poor little Nellie cry."_

_Demeter scoffed, "That girl needs to eat more bread."_

_"Demeter!" everybody shouted._

_This only made me cry even louder._

_"I can't believe I'm saying this but my wretched stepmother is correct," Athena said winking at me. She glared at Ares and Zeus. " You two buffoons should stop this war so Nellie can stop crying." _

_" Pfft. Not unless my air-headed father says sorry first," Ares spatted._

_" WHAT! Me, say sorry? Well at least I'm not the one who tricked my half brother into killing an important Austrian official!"_

_"His fault he fell for it! Maybe he inherited his thick skull from you!"_

_"Why you LITTLE-"_

_I cried even louder._

_"Father! Don't make this situation even worse." Athena looked menacing. " For Nellie's sake just call truce and end this foolish war."_

_"..."_

_"..."_

_"No!" Zeus and Ares said in unison._

_Time for plan B. I did my best to make a puppy dog face and forced a few more tears down. It was very unladylike and Aunt Hera and Demeter were probably having a heart attack. I even nibbled on my light orange auburn hair for a good measure.  
_

_"Please," Athena pestered._

_"The answer is still NO!"_

_I was getting angry. Zeus and Ares have been fighting with each other as far as I could remember. I wasn't going to let some silly argument that happened over three years ago rule my entire childhood. _

_I stumbled toward Zeus and Ares and tugged on Zeus's chiton trying to get his attention._

_"What?!"_

_I motioned to him to lean down so I could whisper into his ear._

_"Σταματήστε τον πόλεμο αυτό άμεσων!" **("Stop the war this instant!" Sorry to the people who are fluent in Greek if the translation didn't come out right.)**_

_I felt a tugging sensation in my stomach and the next thing I knew, Zeus was obeying my directions._

_"Look, I'm sorry I got mad at you. Let's call it truce," Zeus apologized to Ares._

_Everyone was stunned. I guess they wanted to know how a little kid like me convinced the King of the Heavens, Ruler of the Sky, and God of Lightning to end a war._ I_ didn't even think it would work!_

_"Wh-what?" Ares answered clearly dumbfounded._

_I gave him a pleading look. We finally made some progress and I wasn't about to give it all up. I felt that tugging sensation in my stomach again._

_" Alright, I agree."_

_Everyone's mouth nearly dropped to the floor. To make Zeus call truce is unbelievable but Ares actually agreeing is a whole different matter. All I said were a couple of words and they actually listened._

_Ares and Zeus shook hands then disappeared in a flash of light._

_"H-how...?" Athena stammered._

_" This must be very serious if Athena is stammering," Poseidon snickered. I guess it didn't cross his mind that what just happened was seemingly . . . unusual._

_Athena gave him a cold, hard glare. _

_Apollo had a thoughtful look in his eyes, which is very rare._

_"Um...," I said uneasily. "I'm really tired right now so I'm just going to lie down and rest for a moment." I exited the throne room leaving the gods pondering on this miraculous incident._

_*END*_

I don't really think about how I convinced two really unpredictable gods to listen to me that much. It never struck me as something I should be concerned about._  
_

So that's how a three years old stopped the Great War. The gods don't really like to talk about it. It's kind of embarrassing having a little kid ... you know, stop a _war_. I don't mind though.

After lunch, I met up with Alice at Survival Techniques. To my surprise, I saw her talking with some Aphrodite girls. They seemed to be in a really deep conversation. All I could think of at that moment was, _What the Hades! _Alice wouldn't be caught dead talking to children of Aphrodite's.

"Um . . . hey," I said waving my hand meekly.

Alice saw me and a look of shock and horror came across her face. _Oh my gods,_ she thought._ Please don't find out, please don't find out. _You know, there are some advantages of being to read other people's thoughts, like knowing that one of your best friends is planning something behind your back. Alice quickly whispered something to the Aphrodite girls. Probably something along the lines of, _Did you see that really handsome boy by the beach? I think that he's free. _That sure sent them running with their skirts flapping behind them.

"Please tell me you didn't just see that," Alice said as she ran up to me.

"I did."

"You're probably wondering why I was hanging around with them right?"

I nodded

"Well . . . you see-" She didn't have time to finish because just then Lonnie, a child of Hermes, came and began to teach us things like how to find food and look for good camping places, stuffs like that. I never got the chance know why she was hanging out with Aphrodite's girl again. I shrugged it off though. It wasn't like it was something important, right?

After Alice and I parted ways after the lesson, I went to Arts and Crafts. I may not be as good as the Athena cabin at designing buildings nor as good with metal as the Hephaestus cabin, but I'm what you call pretty good at sewing. My embroidery designs were coming along well. I was doing a sampler with a scene of the Ares cabin taking down a drakon. The clothes I was sewing was peculiar. Almost everyone were wearing half an overall and the designs were so alien. I didn't know what I was doing. I couldn't control myself. When I moved on to the autos in the background, I noticed that the structure was different, too. What really caught my attention was a boy I had sewed next to a blond girl. The boy with black hair and green eyes holding a bronze sword. There was something special about him and the blond girl I was working on.

However, I was interrupted when I heard a loud angry bark coming from the forest. Everyone's ears and eyes were alert as we carefully gathered our weapons. Monster attacks happen often which is not surprising when you have more than 70 demigods all at one place.

I took a hairpin from my hair and blew on it. It turned into a small dagger with a leather handle and a blade made of fused glass and crystal. The Hephaestus cabin took a lot of care into making this weapon. I named it Clarent. It's not fit for fighting but its has came in handy every once a while. Because of it, a certain Ares boy wont be messing with me from now on.

Now I'm not a fighter but I did learn a few tricks just in case. I only use them during an emergency and a giant hellhound running straight at me is defiantly an emergency. I raised my dagger, reflecting the sunlight into the monster's eyes. It yelped in surprise. The Apollo kids had just enough time to shoot a dozen arrows at it after I looked away.

I heard the monster gave one last howl, then silence. My eyes were shut tightly. _'That poor hellhound, but if we don't kill it, it will kill us,'_ I told myself. I felt a reassuring hand on my shoulder and turned to see Chiron smiling down at me.

"You did a great job," he said sincerely. "Now go back to your activities, your sampler is turning out pretty good." Then he shooed me off.

The rest of the day went by fast. I was very eager when Free Time came around. It was my favorite time of the day. I would always take a little hike to Zeus's Fist to relax and talk with my friend, Collin.

A word about Collin before you meet him. He's a son of Hades, so he isn't really welcomed at camp. He has obsidian black hair that semi-cover his eyes making him seem very mysterious and ebony black eyes. He's really handsome and he has olive-colored skin, not pale like most of his brothers. Did I mention that he likes to shadow travel a lot? He told me stories about his travels to Mexico, China, Egypt, Greece, Italy, and Norway. I wouldn't be surprised if he was actually preparing me for a trip.

When I arrived, I saw Collin leaning against the boulders playing with his black stygian iron sword. He said that it was a birthday present from his father. Yes, Hades actually gave his son a present for his birthday. I don't know whats so surprising about it though. He was just being a good parent. What's so surprising about that?

"Hey," I said as I sat down next to him.

His eyes light up as he looked at me and I felt something fluttering inside my body. I looked the other way so he wouldn't see me blush.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

I turned to face him hoping my face wasn't red. Instead I hit my head against his.

"Ow!" we said simultaneously. Our faces were cherry red. Then he broke the tension by laughing out loud.

"You have quite a big head," he told me.

"Excuse me?"

"You know what I mean," he laughed.

I nudged him in the elbow and laughed along. Then he stopped and looked away like he remembered something dreadful. I wondered what was bothering him. I concentrated on him, trying to break through his mind barrier. It was really rude of me to read his personal thoughts but I just had to know.

His voice echoed through my mind_,'How can the fates be so cruel. Aphrodite must hate me. Maybe I can strike a deal with Thanatos.' _The connection broke. _Thanatos? What was he talking about? _I didn't want to think about it. Anything involving the god of death must be really bad.

"Is there something I should know about?" I asked.

When he finally looked at me, I could see sadness and pity in his eyes.

"No."

No. That was it. A simple no. Ever since I met him and his siblings, I've always wondered what the dickens was up with Hades kids and secrets. I know that they usually go on special adventures and learn stuff that the Athena kids would drool over, but seriously. I mean, take Nico as an example. He goes on and finds out that...oh...oops...I think I've said too much.

Anyways, I couldn't believe he said that to me. We trusted each other since the day we met. He was one of the very few people to know that I was a child of Hestia and that I could read minds, and then he decides to lie in my face when he perfectly knew that I knew he was lying and that that something was probably going to play a major role in the future. That's practically how all child of Hades secrets turn out.

"Oh, okay." Even though I was mad at him, he was still my friend. He had reasons not to tell me.

He smile at me with that carefree, cheerful smile. The exact replica of the one he gave me when we first met at Zeus's Fist. I can't believe so much has changed since then.

_*FLASHBACK*_

_"Hey, new kid," some guy said to me. "You're going to scout the area and tell us if it's safe to capture the flag. Got it?"_

_I nodded even though I was scared out of my wits._

_Things were so different from Olympus. They train us all these dangerous things like using spears and swords. I couldn't even lift a shield. We had to be on the lookout for any monsters that might invade the camp and fend for our lives. Sure they have magical plates and cups that let you eat whatever you want, but it doesn't beat the literal high life. _

_I felt a tap on my shoulder. The guy who told me to scout the area nodded and pushed me forward. I stumbled into the cold creek and began to quietly make my way into the enemy's territory. I found a tree nearby and began to climb it hoping that no one heard the shaking of the leaves. When I was high enough, I saw that there was a clear path to the flag. If I wasn't in a dangerous game of Capture the Flag, I could've stayed up there and admire the scenery until sunset. The autumn leaves were shining bright red and gold and the wind felt nice against my face, but of course, I couldn't._

_I whistled twice. That was the signal for the campers to charge. A second later, I heard the sound of trench boots stomping my way and then a shout from the enemy's side. It wasn't long before the two sides clashed together. There was an advantage of being a seven years old: you're small enough to stay hidden. It was just my luck, however that an arrow had to come my way and I had to jump out of the tree before it hit me._

Oomph. _The fall was painful. I had landed on my feet therefore spraining both my ankles. When I finally got up, I saw some people sparring and others running around. A really big, really mean, and buff kid was coming towards me. I did the logical thing: I ran... with my sprained ankles...okay, maybe it wasn't so logical after all. Well what was I suppose to do? Just stand there? Not going to happen. __Besides, when you have someone twice your size chasing after you, the pain is the least of your worries._

_My goal was to get back to my team's territory, but I wasn't fast enough. That guy grabbed the hem of my skirt and pulled me backward! I landed on my rump with a_ THUD!

_"Ha! I got you. You'd be a nice addition to the prison cell," he said pointing at me._

_In my defense, I was scared and it was my first time playing Capture the Flag. So instead of admitting defeat and let him take me to prison, I bit his index finger and ran off._

_"Ow! What the Hades did you do that for! HEY! COME BACK HERE! Where in the world do you think you're going you-" but I was already to far away._

_After a while, I stopped to take a breath. I didn't know how long I've been running but one thing for sure was that I had just lost myself in a monster infested forest. That was really stupid of me to do so. It was getting dark and the trees were getting scarier by the minute. All my lessons with Athena had gone to waste. Then I stumbled into a clearing with a pile of boulders in the middle. The pile looked liked a batch of dung. Ugly, disgusting, giant lumps of ah, nevermind. I remember a camper telling me that there's a landmark called Zeus's fist. If you look at a certain angle that is._

_"Well it looks like a pile of giant horse manure," I muttered. Lightning cackled in the sky and the next thing I knew, a body had fallen over me. "AAAHHHHH!" I screamed. "I swear, Uncle you better say sorry and really mean it the next time you see me!" My fists were pounding on the ground and just my luck, it began to rain. I probably looked liked a maniac with my dirty dress and torn stockings and wild expression in the pouring rain but it didn't really matter at the time. I pitied the gods because I didn't even want to know what Aphrodite was doing right then. Probably screaming her head off and saying how I looked like a pig rolling in mud with slob on its face and flies flying around its ears. She likes to exaggerate._

_"Oh sorry, didn't know that someone would be here."_

_I looked up to see a boy looking down at me. His eyes bore into mine. Apparently he had fallen on me, obviously, but that was impossible since I was standing next to a tree._

_"Hey," he said. "We need to get to someplace dry. I didn't know it was going to rain today." He grabbed my hand and led me to the boulders. I stayed quiet and curiously watched what the boy was doing. "Careful," he told me and lowered me into a crack in the formation._

_I gasped. I found myself in a tunnel. The walls felt rough and the floor was full of bumps and holes. A shiver went down my spine at the thought of what creature could've made them. I jumped when I heard of howl that seemed to be coming from everywhere._

_"Don't worry," he said as he landed clumsily next to me._

_"How am I supposed to be not worried? I'm scared."_

_"Scaredy-cat."_

_"Hmmph."_

_He laughed playfully._

_"Don't worry. If monsters come, I'll shadow travel us out."_

_My eyebrows went up. "Shadow travel?"_

_"A son of Hades thing."_

_I said something smart like, "Oh."_

_He smiled. "So who's your godly parent?"_

_My mouth opened and closed like a fish. I had no idea what to say. If I spilled my secret, who knows what will happen. I might get turned into a gerbil for Zeus's sake._

_My brain stopped. I was in war with myself. Should I tell this boy I barely knew who my mom was or ignore him? The answer was obvious but I didn't want to lie to him._

_"I'm not allowed to talk about it," I said mentally smiling inside, satisfied with my answer._

_He nodded and I just had to notice to pain in my ankles right then._

_"Ugh," I muttered, rubbing my ankles to soothe the pain. Well, I wasn't a child of Apollo for a reason you know._

_The son of Hades noticed because he disappeared. Great guy isn't he. He did come back with a cube of ambrosia which I am thankful for. After I ate it, we sat down and started talking. We had conversations about favorites foods, hobbies, people we don't like, and at one point, he even mentioned that he once saw a caramel covered radio. I didn't even want to think about it. Crazy mortals._

_"We should be going now," he said as he slowly got up._

_"But it's only been a couple of minutes."_

_"We're in the labyrinth. Time passes differently."_

_My mouth dropped. We were in the labyrinth. The one in the legend of Theseus. The one built by Daedalus. This guy must be crazy. The boy not Daedalus. Daedalus was an amazing genius. GENIUS I say!_

_"Hey!" the guy called to me. He had already climbed up through the opening and was now looking down at me. "I know you are amazed that I found the labyrinth and all that but you really need to get here right now. The camp must be really worried about you." Then his eyes lit up like he had won the lottery or was given the gift of immortality. "Besides, it won't be my fault if a monster comes and gobbles you up." His face now had a menacing expression to it.._

_ He would've won the grand prize for the evil scientist look if I hadn't jumped at his outstretched hand, screaming my head off. His hand stiffened but he somehow managed to pull me up. We tumbled onto the grass and I was surprised that daylight had entered my eyes. I guess the boy wasn't as crazy as I thought._

_"Ow," something under me mumbled. _

_I looked down to see his face staring at mine._

_"Sorry," I apologized and got up. My hand reached out to take his after I had dusted myself off._

_"No problem," he said as he took my hand. The boy might look skinny, but in reality, he weighs a ton!_

_I heard the sound of campers scouring the forest out in the distant. They were so noisy with their trench boots and big mouths. It was a miracle that a monster hadn't gone after them._

_"I should probably be going now," the son of Hades told me as he ran toward a shadow of a big oak tree. I didn't understand why he had to leave. It was like he was afraid of people which I found pretty stupid, to say the least._

_"Wait!" I called out. He turned around right before he plunged into the shadows. "What's your name?"_

_"Collin."_

_"Penelope, but everyone calls me Nellie."_

_"Bye Penny." He smiled and saluted._

_"Penny works as well," I whispered under my breath._

_He turned around, tripped, and fell into the shadow. Cue facepalm. I couldn't see how that kid could survive a day in the army, much less a minute._

_*END*_

I sighed. Life is so complicated. To think that just seven years ago, Collin was a happy and carefree child. Now he burdens secrets no demigod should know. It really bugs me when he enters this depression state when he sees me but acts like nothing's wrong. Of course something's wrong. Did he forget that I could read minds!_  
_

He must've saw the sad look on my face because he immediately cheered up and started poking me.

"Hey! Watch it," I laughed.

"A man such as myself will not succumb to a woman," he said all sophisticated like.

We were both too busy laughing to notice a shoe flying toward Collin's head. It smacked him right in the face which made me laugh even harder.

"Ow, hey, who threw that-"

"COLLIN MACARIES! _What_ did you just _say_ about the feminine gender!"

Phoebe was standing in front of us, her face was contorted in anger. She is sensitive when it comes to this boy vs girl thing. Her mother was in the Women Rights Suffrage a few years back after all.

Collin looked absolutely terrified. He has seen what Phoebe could do when she gets mad, and by mad I mean throw you into a snake pit then give you a lava bath mad. One time, a undetermined kid called Phoebe a disrespect to Aphrodite because she was wearing trousers and she dragged him off to the Aphrodite cabin for a makeover and a night with them. I could only imagine the horror of what they did to him. He was never the same after that.

"Oh, um, what I meant to say was that uh, girls are smart and um...amazing?"

_Oh well, it was nice knowing you, _I thought. Collin is usually a quick thinker and great at comebacks and lies, but he forgets to use head at times.

"You're lucky that Chiron wants you two at the moment or else you would've been dead meat mister," Phoebe grumbled.

"Wait, why does he want us?" I asked before Collin could say something stupid.

Phoebe shrugged and motioned for us to follow. Curious at what Chiron might want from us, I followed, dragging Collin along with me. I didn't see why Chiron would want Collin though. He isn't really popular at camp. And why would he want to see me too? I was just a demigod. Sure I was a child of Hestia and I'm not suppose to exist, but I wasn't anyone powerful or skilled. Boy was I wrong, big time.

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**After this I don't think I'll ever do flashbacks ever again.**

**Autos means cars. Short for automobiles.**

**You have no idea how many foreshadowing clues there are in this chapter. **

**REVIEW TIME! **

**Questions? Comments! Complaints.**

**P.S. If you are going to write a complaint please sugarcoat it so I don't feel brought down and bad okay.**


	4. Start the Test III

**I did a lot of research on the 1920s to write this. Sure the words they use aren't correct but give me a break. Hope you appreciate it.**

**Disclaimer: People we're on fanfiction. ****Self-explanatory.**

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**Collin**

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I knew why Chiron wanted to see us. I wasn't happy that he chose now to tell her though. Sure she had trained at camp for almost, what, 7 years now, but she isn't the fighting type. She could've stayed in the real world and not get attacked by monster but she just had to get lucky enough to be chosen by the fates as that one special person. Ugh, how could I have fallen in love with her? I was doing my job and keeping watch over her, just like her mother told me to. This isn't going to end well.

We went inside the Big House. Florence, our oracle, and Chiron were already sitting around a table waiting for us. Like all the oracles before her, Florence was a mortal with some sort of artistic skill. She was well into her 60s now. Soon she would have to retire, but in the meantime, she was a second mom to most of the campers here. At the moment, she was singing a song accompanied by a soft and eerie tune.

_Little girl, with dark hair and sad eyes._

_Little girl, a fate which she despise._

_Curse for a prophecy_

_be made upon her soul._

_Generations passing,_

_yet no one takes the role._

**(Remember from the Last Olympian? The oracle before Rachel who was cursed by Hades)**

"So who's the poor girl? Do you know who she is?" Phoebe asked. Florence shook her head.

"I'm afraid this takes place after I have gone to the Underworld my dear. Maybe you'll be there when it takes place."

"I doubt I want to be there. It sounds depressing," Phoebe mumbled loud enough for me to hear.

I agreed. In fact, I don't want to be there for any future things the oracle sees. All the ones I've heard either lead to death, war, or are just plain confusing.

"Why do they all have to be in a song?" Penny asked. "A picture would be easier to understand than a song."

"True. But a song is better. The future is to remain a mystery and it's my job to give out prophecies not becoming a fortune teller."

I gulped. Even without looking, I could tell that Florence glanced at me when she mentioned that the, "future is to remain a mystery." I flinched. My mind was racing. She just had to know everything doesn't she. Then I remembered that Penny could read minds. _Horsefeathers! Okay, don't think. Stop thinking. Lead her off track._ _Think of ponies and moving pictures and AHHH JELLY MONSTER!_

I felt a hand being placed on my shoulder and my entire body stiffened. It's not my fault that I was on the run just a month ago.

"Do you mind if I borrow Collin for a minute. I need to talk to him about some important issues," Chiron said. Chiron, who was not a jelly monster.

"Absolutely," Florence replied. I couldn't help but notice that Penny had a worried or concerned expression on her face. She probably thought that I had gotten in trouble and that's why Chiron had asked for us. If only it were that easy.

The centaur led me into a small room that had four couches surrounding a coffee table, a dart board, an ice box, and a large cabinet at the back. From what Penny has told me, this must be the meeting room. The place where the camp counselors talk about some important stuff like war, camp activities, the strawberry harvest, you name it.

Chiron gestured for me to take a seat and I did. I knew what was coming, so I might as well get comfortable.

"I think she's ready." Chiron told me. It came out straight forward. No hesitation, no expression, no thought that Penny might actually fail, nope, nada, zero.

"Are you sure, I mean, can she defeat monsters, take care of herself, know what to do when everything seems hopeless," I argued.

"I've given her all the best training I could. It doesn't help that she's a child of Hestia, but once she knows the truth, she'll be fine."

"The truth. That's what I'm worried about," I muttered. "What if the truth changes her, what if she is heartbroken by the choice she'll have to make, not that she has any."

"I know it probably wasn't the best idea for the fates to choose a daughter of hearth, it just makes things a bit more difficult, but I know that she can do it."

I put my head in my hands and moaned.

"The fates are very cruel." Chiron said. "They show no mercy to anyone. There will be obstacles in life that you must overcome but never forget."

_Easier said than done, _I thought. I looked up to see Chiron looking at me with sympathy.

"I didn't thought that you would get so attached."

"Neither did I," I replied

"She'll be back. It isn't going to be forever."

I nodded.

"Good Gracious!" I heard Penny scream from the other room. I dashed out of the room to her aid. The worst possibilities ran through my head._ Did a hellhound attack? A chimera? Cyclopes?_

It wasn't any of that, it was much, much worse. I arrived to find Florence standing upright with green smoke coming from her mouth. Penny's quest had officially begun.

_Knowledge even wisdom cannot hold_

_Will be given to the one that was told._

_Two companions will accept the quest_

_To head south and complete the patron's test._

_One will return on the balanced day_

_And wait for a soul that has gone astray_.

Phoebe and Penny caught the oracle as she fell backwards. Her head nearly hitting the chair. When she awoke, they started telling her the prophecy. I was too worried to pay much attention to what was going on. One will return on the balanced day? Only one of the members of the quest will return? I was praying to every single god and goddess I know, major and minor, good and evil, Roman and Greek (Don't ask how I know there are two camps. It's top secret information that will probably be explained later. If not then the modern term would be, sucks for yoouuuu!), that I had misinterpreted the prophecy. No one can possibly have this kind of bad luck.

One thing for sure, Penny is beyond my help now. She will have to go through this quest till the end which is, by the way, not a good thing. One question remained in my head. And it was, _Why?_

"The quest has begun!" Chiron announced.

"Wait!" Penny said. "What quest? What are you talking about? By gods, what's going on?!"

Chiron looked down at her sadly. "Collin, Phoebe, go pack your things while I explain to Nellie about the quest."

I looked at Penny. She was so innocent. She doesn't deserve this. How was I going to live with this burden? I didn't know. I nodded and followed Phoebe and Florence out the door.

"Listen here Shadow Boy," Phoebe growled at me once we were outside. Don't ask about the nickname. Her arms were crossed and she had her serious face on. At least, she thought it was serious. In my mind, she looked liked a really grumpy toad. "I don't know what's going on, but I know that you do. I saw the way you flinched when Florence was talking and I overheard parts of your conversation with Chiron. Tell me what's the matter." She was downright menacing and annoying.

I gulped. How in Hades is Penny friends with this...I don't even know the proper words to describe her! I already had enough things to worry about and now the fates added Miss I'm-Going-To-Rip-Your-Head-Off Phoebe Finnagin. Could this day get any worse?! Great, I just jinxed it.

"Now, now, go pack your stuff children. From what I heard, you have a long journey ahead of you," Florence said, obviously noticing the tension between us. There's not much you can hide from someone who has seen almost four generations of demigods pass by. I felt pity for her knowing that her friends probably died at a young age.

"Yes m'am," I replied then I jogged away from Phoebe. In my opinion, that girl glares too much. If looks could kill, I would've died 6 years ago.

My legs were carrying me to nowhere particular. Since I didn't have a cabin here at camp, I didn't need to pack. If I needed something, _plop_ shadow travels to the Underworld, _plop_ comes back with stuff. It's that easy. If you don't get it... then you have a serious problem.

Still, it would be nice to be recognized around here. My father might not be an Olympian but he is an important god. Maybe one day, someone would actually appreciate the non-Olympians. Highly unlikely. Why all of a sudden throw away thousand of years of tradition? The gods haven't changed their ways since the beginning of time. Why start now or anytime soon?

I realized that I had arrived at the hearth of camp. Penny had told me that this was where she would go if she was feeling down. I could see why. The fire was blazing warm and all the worries I had melted. Then I found out that I wasn't alone.

A young woman wearing a simple brown dress and a scarf over her head like the girls in the 18oos, was tending the flames. She was poking at it here and there. I can tell you that she was definitely not there before.

Then it clicked. I bowed. "Good afternoon Lady Hestia."

"No need bow young man," she said. "Sit, we have some issues to discuss."

I sat down and a plate of crackerjacks, cheese, cookies, peanuts, and chips appeared on my lap. That is expected from the goddess of hearth, so no surprise there. The first time I had talked with Hestia, I jumped when the food had appeared and sent the whole plate into the fire and got some ash on my pants. The gods probably caught a whiff of that big cake and chocolate covered cherries. My stomach was not happy after that.

"The quest has started, has it not?" Hestia asked.

"Yes m'lady."

"There's more to it, am I right?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Do you know-"

She held up her hand and I stopped.

"I don't know who Penelope really is or the limits of her power, nor do I want to know. All I can say is that whatever happens, I'll still be proud of her."

I nodded not wanting to say more. Thank the gods I couldn't read emotions like satyrs and Penny. I didn't want to know what Hestia was feeling as she sat there by the fire-pit. Her only child was going on a quest and like all quests, there's a chance that you wouldn't come back alive.

_You should tell her,_ the emotional part of my brain argued.

I can't. She might change the future.

_How do you know what the future is like? You care about Penny don't you?_

I do but it's her choice.

_Then help her make the right choice! Besides, this is her mother we're talking about. She deserves the right to know!_

I said I can't! I was given specific instructions not to-

_She's Hestia! She's not going to think "Oh no, danger, BOOM, yay, danger gone." She's not like the other immortals._

I hate how I always lose a debate with myself. I can be so stubborn sometimes. Reasonable and stubborn.

"Lady Hestia."

She looked at me. The fire in her eyes flickering with warmth. This was going to be hard.

"Yes?"

"You see...," I continued, rubbing the back of my neck. "Penny is a-"

"Hey!" someone shouted.

_Thank the gods! _I thought. Penny was jogging toward us wearing a satchel and a sunhat. You can always count on her to save you from emotional distress. Not that I was in one, mind you. Me in an emotional distress? Haha.

"There you are Collin. I was looking for you. Why are you- oh my gods, _Mom_!" she shouted.

Her paced quickened and she embraced her mother in a hug. I was feeling really guilty at the sight of this scene.

"I can't believe you're here!" Penny said excitedly as they broke apart.

"You thought I would miss seeing my daughter off on her first quest?" Hestia questioned. Her voice was now cheery and light-hearted instead of the serious tone she was using just minutes before.

Penny was about to answer when a low rumble or thunder sounded in the distant.

"I sorry but I have to go. My time is up," Hestia said then smiled at Penny. "Good luck."

I jumped. The fire-pit next to me suddenly erupted in flames that were 6 feet tall. Red and orange danced around.

"Whoa," I gasped.

Hestia started toward the fire , but before she entered, she whispered in my ear,"Make Aphrodite proud."

Before I could respond, she stepped into the fire._ What was that_, I thought.

"What was that?" Penny asked.

I shrugged, trying not to laugh.

Penny inspected me like I was a little kid hiding candy. She looked liked a detective with that suspicious look and an eyebrow raised.

She shrugged. "Whatever," and adverted her gaze to the tall hill by the Big House. "Come on," she said as she grabbed me hand. "I found Phoebe a few minutes ago. She told me to meet her on the big hill."

I nodded, but my mind was far away. I was still thinking about what Hestia had whispered to me before she left.

I glanced at Penny. We were already standing on the hill waiting for Phoebe.

_Make Aphrodite proud._

I stared down at the camp. Campers were busy preparing for the nightly sing-a-long. Nobody was paying much attention to us. We were alone.

_Make Aphrodite proud._

Maybe I should make the most of it. Maybe Hestia was right.

_Make Aphrodite proud._

What about the pain and torture afterword?

_Make Aphrodite proud._

It will probably be worth it.

I glanced at Penny again. She was sitting on the ground now, twirling her hair impatiently.

I sat down as well and stared at her.

_Curse you Aphrodite_, I thought as I leaned in...

_Make Aphrodite proud._

and kissed her.

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**In my opinion, the ending could've gone a lot better but I was lazy and I didn't know what to write.**

**I admit, I'm definity not the best writer and my vocabulary is a bit short. I also repeat words a lot but I just don't know what to write in their place.**

**Hestia is a bit OOC in this chapter but it was necessary.**

**Review Time!**

**What is your favorite fanfic?**


	5. Stranger Danger IV

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Go back to chapter 1**

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**Penelope**

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First thing that comes to mind is, _What in the name of Zeus! _

Let's backtrack a little shall we. After everyone had left the Big House, Chiron told me to sit down as he explained to me the whole quest thing and helped figure out some parts of the prophecy. Even after all that lecturing and advices, I came out more confused than ever. Leave it to a centaur to make you think that up is down and right is left. Half the time, I wanted to blurt out,_"I know that look in your eye! Just give me a direct answer already instead of all these riddles! You're worst than a sphinx!" _That would be highly unlike me, however. I bet he had very good reasons for keeping secrets.

So without a fuss, I went to the Hermes cabin to pack. It didn't took me much time to stuff some clothes, a half emptied canteen of nectar, ambrosia, and a few snacks into a satchel. I wasn't expecting to be away for long. Luckily, no one was using the bathroom so I had time to change into an outdoor outfit and slam on a small sunhat. Last time I checked, I wasn't a child of Aphrodite's, but I didn't want to snap at some of the undetermined kids looking at my outfit in distaste. Bet they were claimed the next day by you know who.

I headed for the door once I had everything ready, careful not to step on anyone's property. The gods should really start claiming their children more frequently. At least I had a good reason not to be claimed. Mind you, I'm not usually this cranky, but some _centaur_ has gotten me moody lately. Now I'm sure you all know the process of opening a door. You turn the knob, step out, then close the door behind you. Easy as that. Well that process got ruined today because Billy Winsloe, an undetermined, blocked the exit as I stepped outside. My poor head.

"Ow," I muttered rubbing my forehead. Just what I needed. A concussion.

"Oh, my bad, sorry?" he apologized.

"Not your fault."

"Still..."

"I should've looked before heading out the door."

He laughed and stepped aside so I could get through, only to bump into someone again a few minutes later. I should really stop doing that.

This time it was Phoebe. We both fell to the ground on impact and Phoebe started muttering swear words.

I stared at her in utter disbelief, still lying on the soft grass. "Phoebe!" I gasped. "Be a lady!"

"Oh please," she muttered. "Since when did you become my grandmother?"

I sighed. This was going to be a hopeless argument. I wonder why I even tried in the first place. Phoebe wouldn't give in, in a fight unless she was bound to chains and chucked into Tarturus.

Phoebe had got up and dusted herself. She looked at me then rolled her eyes.

"Need help?" she asked.

"No. I'm just you know, being lazy," I drawled.

She smirked and reached out a hand for me to grab. I took it and she lifted me up.

"I need to finish packing," Phoebe said as she jogged away.

"Where should I wait for you?"

Phoebe was already across the camp before she answered.

"MEET ME AT THE BIG HILL!"

Then she closed the door of her cabin behind her.

I laughed to myself earning some weird glances from the other campers. How could I not? Didn't Phoebe know that her cabin was only a few yards from mine? There was no need to shout.

I turned and saw Collin sitting at the hearth. He must have been pretty thick-headed if he hadn't heard Phoebe already. Nevertheless I was glad to see him. I wanted to ask him something.

"There you are Collin. I was looking for you. Why are you-" I stopped. Some was sitting on the oppisite site of the fire. She was really familiar. A warm fire was lit in her eyes. "Oh my gods, _Mom_?"

Now both heads were turned toward me. I felt Collin gave a wave of relief which was strange but I didn't ponder on it long because my attention was on my mother. I couldn't believe she was here. The last time I saw her, she was waving me good-bye on Mount Olympus. We hugged but the happy feeling was only temporary. When I heard the rumble of thunder in the distant I knew she had to leave. A pang of jealously coursed through me when Mother whispered something to Collin. The feeling went away quickly when I felt uneasiness settle in him. Strange. Very curious. I hoped something bad hadn't happened.

Now I'm sitting on a hill and all I'm thinking is, _What in the name of Zeus!_

I had just sat down to think about the quest hoping that it will take my mind off other matters when something was pressed against my lips. Electricity coursed through me. It was gentle yet passionate. His lips were soft and he smelled like the earth. We broke apart and stared at each other.

And then I smacked him upside his head.

"Ow! What was that for!" Collin complained.

"Well then what was I suppose to do?"

"I don't know, hug me or something like that?"

"Last time I checked, I'm not Aphrodite or any of her children!"

"Oh looky here," came a familiar drawling voice. "You two are already fighting like married couples."

Phoebe was there leaning against a tree. Her arms crossed and a smirk was stretched onto her face. One hand was holding on to a leather knapsack. I couldn't tell who's face was redder but I must have looked like a ripe tomato.

"How long have you been standing there?" Collin asked.

"Long enough to know that Harriet owes me a few clams."

"You betted on us!?" I gasped.

She didn't answer but swung her knapsack onto her back. "Enough talk. We have a quest to complete do we not?"

"Right," Collin agreed. He got up and pulled me along with him. "Where to?"

I felt both pairs of eyes on me.

"Uhhhhh..." My mind was blank. I had no idea where we were supposed to go. Think! Think! "The prophecy said that we shall 'head south and complete the patron's test.' So my guess is that we should go south."

Phoebe's hand shot up into the air. "Question! Where in the south should we go? Our destination could be anywhere! Miami, the Caribbean, Brazil, or even Antarctica."

"Well..." She had a good point there. "I follow my instincts?"

"That has got to be-"

"The best idea ever!" Collin cut in.

"It is?" Phoebe and I asked in disbelief.

"Yes it is." He pumped his fists into the air. "Am I a genius or what!"

I can't believe I just kissed that boy a few minutes ago.

"First of all, if you're a genius then Athena might as well trade positions with Ares," Phoebe retorted. "Second, Nellie was the one that came up with the idea. And third, WHAT IN HADES MAKES YOU THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA! No offense Nellie, but you have the worst instincts _ever_."

That is very true. I do have the worst instincts. If Hermes hadn't dropped me off, I would have never made it to camp. It's a combination of sheer luck and protection that I'm still alive. Now that I think about it, I have been watched over almost my entire life. Never was I left alone for than forty-five minutes. There was always someone there to look-out for me. Gods, friends, nymphs, naiads, harpies, satyrs, and a centaur. The only time I had privacy was when I was in the bathroom.

Collin sighed. "That's true. It only takes once to figure out who should be giving the directions around here." He gave me his signature smirk. The glint in his ebony eyes shown between his hair.

I started pulling my auburn locks. That would be my fault. I didn't mean to get us stuck in the labyrinth. It was free time and I thought it would be fun if I took Alice and Phoebe exploring. It sounded much more exciting in my head. What can I say, I was bored. I thought that if I brought more people along, we would be safer. I was wrong. Every choice I made, I would get us into danger no sooner than 20 paces. And don't even get me started on the sphinx.

"Well what other choice do we have?" I asked.

"None. That's what makes my idea, I mean, her idea so great!" I'm going to let you guess who said that. I'm rolling my eyes in case you didn't know.

"What do you think think then?"

"Hate to say it, but Shadow Boy here is right," Phoebe confessed. "In that case, why don't you go get Argus and tell him we need a ride."

"Yeah. I want to travel in that new car the Hephaestus cabin made."

"Girls," he scoffed. "So needy most of the time."

He's lucky that the shadows swallowed him up before Phoebe's shoe got to him first. Poor shoe.

**Ω****Ω****Ω****Ω****Ω****Ω**

I was in a dark room. Very descriptive isn't it. Anyways, there was a women stand in the middle of it. I couldn't see her, only her outline. Water was dripping somewhere. I guess that I was in a cave. Collin and Phoebe weren't anywhere nearby. Talk about freaky. I've never had those so called 'demigod dreams' before. Wish I had listened to Alice and Collin now.

"Who are you?" I asked.

The women turned but I still couldn't make out her features.

"It's been a while now hasn't it. Last time I saw you, you were still an immortal wandering through Central Park. Such a darling back then."

Her voice. It was familiar. I've heard it somewhere before. Curse you memory.

"You still haven't answered my question."

She clucked. "A great challenge lies before you. Be brave, be decisive, be on guard at all times." This is becoming a lot like those moving pictures.

"What do you mean?"

"Good luck, Penelope."

Okay, let me get this straight. People only call me by my full name when they are mad or annoyed. There are only two people who use my first name. My mother is one and the other is ... oh. I should have known.

A cave. Her voice. The dramatic atmosphere. The incident at Central Park. My full name.

"Grandmama?"

KA-BOOM! The cave walls exploded and light poured in. I got to see her features perfectly. Almost exactly like the last time I saw her. Behind her was a building. It was designed like the Parthenon only smaller. Mountain peaks surrounded it. A clear sky was overhead and the green grass was complimenting the lifeforms around it. There were rabbits, birds perching on trees, and foxes sniffing and sneaking past the steps of the building.

Confusion would be an understatement. First a dark, scary cave, then Grandmama (which is beyond scary), and next a world of sunshine and peace. My brain is melting!

"What does this mean?" Don't ask me why I even expected an answer from a goddess. Nobody ever gives a direct answer these days.

I couldn't see her expression from behind the veil. She stood still as a statue. Was Medusa here too?

"Once in a century. Shame it has to be you." She smiled. "Like I said before my dear, good luck and I wish you well."

Any child of Athena's out there? If so then please help a poor innocent girl figure out why Grandmama is here and the Hades what 'once in a century' and a mini Parthenon surrounded by mountains means.

The image disappeared along with Grandmama and I woke up to find myself resting against Collin's shoulder. My vision was blurry and my head felt like a concrete sidewalk.

"Where are we?"

"I see a steering wheel, people and places passing by very fast, a glass window, a road, a pedal, and an enclosed space with cushioned seats. Gee, I don't know. Maybe underwater in Poseidon's palace."

"Very funny Phoebe."

Collin chuckled. I glared but failed at making him cringe at my presence.

"Remind me where we're going," I yawned.

"Do I need to go back there and rap your head a few times or did Mnemosyne took your memory? You said that your 'instincts' told you to take us to the docks, Dumb Dora. I suppose we're going to steal a ship and set sail." Isn't she a wonderful friend?

My vision cleared but I still felt tired. I noticed that we were passing through Tin Pan Alley, the musical section of New York. Argus was driving with his hundred eyes watching traffic. Phoebe was sitting in the passenger's seat humming to herself. Collin was leaning against the window, looking worried as usual. He had his arm wrapped around me which was pretty sweet of him.

_Keep her safe._ Huh? _Make her happy._ Oh, these are Collin's thoughts. _Wish I could do more. Wish I can- Styxs I forgot she can read minds, again!_ How could he forget that and why won't he share this with me? Unfortunately, Argus stopped the car before I could ask and it was time to get off.

New York Harbor was loud. As soon as we got off the car, honks and shouts entered my ears. Workers must have had earplugs to keep from going deaf. The smell isn't so great either. Back at camp, Long Island Sound is always kept clean by the naiads and the Poseidon cabin. You could always smell the salty ocean breeze whenever you're at the beach. Here, the ocean scent is blocked by dozens of garbage and seagull droppings. They say it was worse back when there weren't any cars. I shuddered thinking that horse manure might have been where I was standing. The horror.

We waved Argus good-bye before we let the bearcat loose. I don't think he would've liked to hear Phoebe complaint about the stench and noise.

"Well?" Surprisingly it was Collin who asked the million dollar question, not me. "Aren't you going to scream and have one of your babyish temper tantrums?" He could have worded that a bit differently. Sure I sometimes get annoyed by his sense of humor, but I didn't want him to die so soon in the quest.

Phoebe glared and I fought hard not to laugh. Collin once told me that every time she glared, it reminds him of a very grumpy toad. Now I can see the resemblance. Mrs. Toad would be an awesome nickname!

"In case you haven't noticed, right you haven't because you're a dunce, there are people around and we don't want to make a scene," she said pointedly.

That was the start of an argument that will more or less take up an hour of my time so I'm not going into details. I did learn something from that disagreement. Never will my life ever be boring. In the case of a demigod that is.

Something flashed in the corner of my eye that brought me back to reality. A man had just turned a corner. The odd thing was that this man had a long black cloak. Who wears a cloak in the summer, especially a black one? My instincts told me to follow him. Great, huh, follow a man that looks suspicious and might lead you to certain death. Thank you so much instincts!

I followed anyways.

"Penny!" Collin called behind me. Fortunately he noticed. I don't know what I would've done if they hadn't tagged along.

"Where are you going?" Phoebe asked when they caught up.

"Instincts."

The man turned again. This time he entered an alley. I ran toward it. My friends followed. When we arrived, we found that no one was in sight.

"Should we go in?" I asked.

Phoebe shrugged but Collin replied, "Just don't take any wooden nickels and I think we'll be fine."

"Right, this isn't the time to do anything stupid," Phoebe agreed. I couldn't help but notice that she was eyeing me in a _'I told you so'_ manner. I don't mess up that much do I?

I nodded and we all took out our weapons. I blew on my hairpin. Clarent was steady in my hand but I hope I didn't need to use it. Phoebe arched her bow and Collin played with his Stygian Iron sword. We made a pretty good team.

Our legs carried us in and we were alert. I really hope there were no monsters around. I'm not the fighting type.

"Nellie?" Phoebe whispered.

"Yeah?"

"You really do have the worst instincts ever."

And that's when the hydra attacked.

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**I should get extra credit in L.A. and Social Studies for this.**

**I think I'm getting better at writing.**


	6. Problem? Welcome to Our Life V

**Unedited. Feel free to point out any grammar, spelling mistakes and make any suggestions to my writing.**

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**Phoebe**

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Mythological monsters aren't usually pretty. Medusa, Minotaur, and Kampê to name a few. The Hydra is also one of them. Purple scales covered its body and acid boiled in four of the mouths. Gold snake like eyes darted around examining us. Where in Hades did it came from is a mystery to me. One of the heads spat acid at me, two tried to eat Collin, and the other three were cornering Nellie.

"Fire!" I shouted.

"What!" Nellie shouted back as she rolled out of the way of two heads.

"Fire, Hercules burnt the- whoa!" Collin ducked just as a blob of sickly green acid melted the bag of garbage behind him. "He burnt the stumps of the heads with fire!" Collin finished."

"I'll distract it, Collin you cut the heads, and Nellie you burn the stumps!" I commanded.

Nellie nodded but only half-heartedly. Styxs, I forgot she doesn't like to kill. Now how are we going to defeat this thing?

Collin noticed too because he managed to get all the head's attention by throwing rocks and junk at them. The monster charged at Collin but he jumped into the shadows and reappeared at Nellie's side. The hydra, being very clumsy, hit the wall and was knocked unconscious, for the time being at least.

"Hey, are you alright?" Collin asked when I approached the two.

Nellie rolled her eyes. "You only ask someone that when they're hurt not when they can't do something." Clarent was shaking in her hands.

I nearly face-palmed myself. "You can joke but you can't even shoot fire at a hydra _who is trying to kill__ you_?"

She shrugged. "It's just not my fault I can't do it. I've never killed anything before. At least, not directly." Her eyes glanced at the monster. It was beginning to wake.

"Why don't you just shoot fire while closing your eyes?" Collin suggested.

"Like that will make me feel any more innocent."

"Well where are we going to find another source of fire?"

We didn't have time to figure out because the stupid hydra picked that moment to awake. Couldn't it have picked a time when we had found a way to actually defeat it?

"Collin you take the left. I'll maneuver through its legs. We'll try to escape instead of fight. Nellie you-"

"DUCK!" she screamed.

Obviously we all ducked. If we didn't then there wouldn't be a story left to tell. A ball of acid went sailing past our heads, and not a moment to soon.

Something was burning. "Uh, Phoebe," Nellie said.

"Yeah?"

She pointed at my hair. It was singed and smoking. Collin was laughing despite the danger. I glared.

A tremendous roar shattered his fun. The hydra was charging straight at us while spitting acid. The middle head recoiled and guess what, it breathed fire. As if we didn't have enough to put up with. Thank the gods that Nellie blocked the fire's path before we were toast. We have a fire-user! Beat that hydra!

"Don't just stand there! Scatter!" she commanded.

Collin turned toward me. "Come on! We're wasting time."

His voice was drowned by another roar. The next thing I knew, a head had swung at my side and I was flying in the air toward the wall. I positioned myself and relaxed so the impact wouldn't be overwhelming. But that doesn't mean it didn't hurt!

"Ow," I moaned. My vision was blurry. Dust was rolling around me. Everything hurts. It was like holding onto a buzzer and feel your body shake then go numb. I could hear voices in the distant. Someone was shouting, worry in their voice.

"I'm fine," I croaked. Mount Olympus would be my vacation home if I got a penny every time I said that.

The hydra roared yet again. Holy Hephaestus that thing got lungs. How in Hades don't mortals hear it? Wish I was a mortal. If I were then there wouldn't be two gigantic foul mouths that reeked of sulfur in front of me. My sight was clearing and what I saw was not a pretty picture. Two pairs of mouths that were filled with razor-sharp teeth was almost three inches from my face. Mold and cavities stained nearly each tooth. Disgusting. The idea of dying this way was far from my list.

My bow and arrows were crushed under its big, clumsy foot. There was no way for escape. I braced myself. Good bye old friends. Good bye cherry tarts. Good bye campfire sing-a-longs. Ugh, since when was I interested in theater?

The stench was becoming evidently stronger. I tried to move but my muscles were still sore and numb. Just when I thought all was lost, Nellie did something I'd never thought she'd do in eons. She jumped into the hydra's path and blasted it with a wall of flames. And she said that she's never killed anything before!

EEEEEK! All of the monster's heads shrieked. I would too if I would it. The heat was so immense that my face was sweating. It didn't seem to bother Nellie, though. Lucky her.

We watched the thing rear back and collapsed into the wall. Stone and wood came crashing down until all we could see was a big rubble of rocks and debris. Hoped no one was in the building when this happened. If they spotted us we would be in so much trouble.

"Are you okay?," Nellie asked me.

"Yeah." I tried to get up. Bad move. My legs were too weak and my bones felt like jelly. I stumbled and fell.

"Oh suuure. You're as pitched as a whistle." Collin drawled. He had just came from a shadow. I hate it when he jumps out and surprises me like that.

"Jerk," I muttered and got up again. This time without falling.

Nellie gave a weak smile, her eyes still on the pile of rubble. None of us said anything. We knew it wouldn't help much in this kind of situation. What really ticked me off was that the man was no where in sight.

"So," Collin tried to sound enthusiastic. "Where to next?"

She pointed at the dock, which was visible from the alley, at a ship that was ready to set sail. It has the words_ S.S. Charmetta_ painted bright yellow on the side. No one protested as we walked out of the ally toward the ship.

Poor Nellie. I didn't really thought that she would actually kill the hydra. Even if the wall wasn't there, that thing would have burned until its immortal head was left and the rest of its essence would be in Tarturus.

"Hey you guys," Nellie said. "This is a test right?"

"Well according to the prophecy it is," I answered.

She nodded like everything made sense which it wasn't.

A bell bottom sailor boy greeted us at the docks in front the ship. "Tickets?" He chirped.

"Uhhh..." but Collin came to Nellie's rescue when he handed the boy some mortal money and one drachma.

The kid gaped at the coin. "Is this real gold!"

Collin winked and walked up the platform with a confident attitude. We followed suit. Once on deck, Nellie lost her dead trance and started laughing.

"I've never seen the Creepy Crawler be so smooth before," she teased.

"Well, you know, I'm full of surprises."

I scoffed. "Next thing we know, you'd be picking up girls like those drugstore cowboys."

Nellie fumed at that statement but it was nice to see some colors in her cheeks.

We found a cabin below deck that no one was using. It was a second class cabin with two beds and a mahogany desk. A small porthole looked out to the sea. Wonder if it was like this everyday for mortals. Life would be swell.

After dumping my stuff next to my chosen bed I sprawled out on the sheets. Collin kicked off his shoes and flopped down on the next mattress. Nellie hung her satchel on the doorknob and slumped into the chair. We all sighed heavily. Who knew how long we were staying on this ship. Speaking of which.

"Nellie," I asked.

"What's it now?"

"Where are we going?"

She bolted upright and the chair nearly toppled over. Collin moaned. The ship's horn blasted. I could feel the big thing moving, carrying us with it.

"You mean to say that we're on a ship you pointed out and you don't even have a clue of where we're going?" I said skeptically.

"Yeah."

"Rhetorical question."

Nellie covered her face and fell back into the chair moaning. "What are we going to do now!"

"Panic?"

Nellie glared at me.

Collin was quite through all this. His face showed amusement.

"Wipe that grin off, Shadow Boy. Wha'cha hidin'?"

"Looks like your old accent is returning, Southern Belle," he laughed. The nerve of that kid. How dare he mention my heritage at a time like this. He sat upright and shrugged. "If I were you I'd just ask the bell bottom."

A pillow went flying past me and hit him smack in the face. I couldn't help but double over in laughter. Good old Nellie.

"Hey! Not my fault that I'm right!"

"Fine, then go ask the crew members yourself," Nellie smiled.

Collin got up and bowed graciously. "As you wish my lady." His British accent was a failure. He went out and came back looking grave.

"What's wrong?" Nellie asked.

"We're going to Galveston, Texas."

"That's south and a little bit to the west. No big problem." The look on her face told me that her mind was reeling. Something wasn't right. We could all feel it.

Collin let out a breath. "We have to pass the Sea of Monsters."

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**Not to worry. At least they don't have to fight Polyphemus and try to get through a field of killer sheeps. Of course they have Charybdis and Scylla and the Sirens.**

**Writing 1920s slang is so much fun.**

**Review!**

**Who's your godly parent? **


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